U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Adaptive Cropping Systems Laboratory: Beltsville, MD
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                                    Software
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    Careers


        


                    Models
                        What Are Crop Simulation Models?
                                    2DSoil Model
                                    Spudsim (Potato) Model
                                    CLASSIM
                    Controlled Environment FacilitiesSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Northeast Area Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) Beltsville Agricultural Research Center Adaptive Cropping Systems Laboratory Docs







Computers Predict Harvest Readiness for Major Cropsheadline bar  **PIONEERING FARMER AND FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY** **HELPS ARS TEST MODELS**  Kenneth Hood is a pioneering Mississippi Delta farmer who is helping ARS scientists test new computer models for predicting crop growth. On Hood's Perthsire Farms, he tested models for cotton and soybeans for ARS plant physiologist Vangimalla R. Reddy, who is with the agency's, Crop Systems & Global Change Lab, in Beltsville, Md. Hood is also pioneering the effort to link the models to a precision farming operation. He uses computers onboard harvesters for on-the-go yield monitoring. He also hires pilots to fly over his fields and take infrared photographs that show crop vigor. Crop growth models predict all aspects of farming through harvest, including water,fertilizer and chemical needs. Gossym, the ARS cotton model, even tells Hood about the threat posed by boll weevils and other insects. Comparing that information to aerial photographs and yield data enables Hood to judge whether predicted losses make spraying cost-effective. Gossym has served as the template for all subsequent ARS crop growth models, which now cover a total of seven crops. Reddy works with farmers throughout the country to develop the models. He continues to fine-tune the cotton and soybean models and is developing similar models for corn, wheat, rice and potatoes. His colleague, Jeff Baker, developed a melon model that is also in use. The cotton, melon, potato and soybean models are all available on theInternet or on CD. The Cotton Production Model, Gossym's successor, was released this year for more research and development. ARS has signed a cooperative agreement with Florida A&M University in Tallahassee to field-test the crop growth models on small farms owned by minority farmers. The crop growth models can also be used for scientific applications such as studying the effects of global warming on crop yields or lowering nitrogen levels in bodies of water like the Chesapeake Bay.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov